Salvation Army Named “Lead Agency” by United Nations to Serve 20,000 Earthquake Survivors
Salisbury, Maryland: – The Salvation Army has been named by the United Nations (UN) as the “lead agency” responsible for the well-being of an estimated 20,000 earthquake survivors in Haiti according to Captain Cameron Henderson, Salisbury Corps Officer.
The Salvation Army will coordinate the relief efforts of several disaster response organizations for the community surrounding its main compound in the Saint Martin neighborhood in Port au Prince. This includes registering families so that appropriate aid supplies can be efficiently ordered and distributed, providing shelter that meets U.N. approved standards and establishing clean water sources, medical services and other basic necessities.
“It is critical that we establish a system with standards and accountability so that all of the dedicated NGOs (non-government agencies) can work together to quickly deliver the right supplies and services to the people who need them,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary, based in Arlington, Virginia.
To date, The Salvation Army has distributed more than 350,000 meals, 18,000 gallons of water, hundreds of tents, tarps and flashlights, as well as baby items and medical supplies. Over the last two weeks The Salvation Army worked with the U.N.’s World Food Program to distribute the meals. It has also shipped more than 40 tons of aid to the country with the help of Atlanta-based shipping company UPS (NYSE:UPS). The organization has established staging areas in both Miami and Jamaica and is sending almost daily flights to Port au Prince and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where supplies were then trucked over-land into Haiti.
Teams of international disaster responders from The Salvation Army have joined more than 700 personnel permanently stationed in Haiti to deliver food, water, medicine and other aid supplies to people still suffering more than two weeks after the tragedy. In addition, Salvation Army medical teams consisting of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other specialists have now given medical aid to more than 1,500 people. As teams continue to administer medical assistance, the doctors are seeing fewer life-threatening injuries. Medical teams have also delivered a number of babies in the weeks following the earthquake, raising the spirits of Haitians involved.
Also this week, The Salvation Army was able to partially re-open its elementary school at a temporary site on its compound in Port-au-Prince. In addition to daily classes, approximately 100 children aged three to six years will be provided basic nutrition and medical treatment in a secure environment at The Salvation Army’s compound.
In Haiti, The Salvation Army operates schools, clinics, a hospital, feeding programs, children's homes and church-related activities through some 60 Corps community centers across the country. One Salvation Army facility, or compound, includes a home for more than 50 children; a school with a daily attendance of 1,500 children; a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily; and a church that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000 people. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the National Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin that is home to predominantly poor living in the nation’s capital.
“The Salvation Army is committed to the people of Haiti for the long term,” said Major Hood. “We are not even at the end of the beginning of this response effort, though we are making great strides to getting help to the point of need.
“It is particularly difficult to see how this tragedy is affecting young children in Haiti. Re-opening a school helps create a normal routine and stability for kids who have gone through so much.”
The Salvation Army set up a Haiti relief fund and is accepting monetary donations. Donors may contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word “HAITI” to 52000, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.” Donors can also give via http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/, 1-800-SAL-ARMY and through the mail at: The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728 or The Salisbury Corps, 407 Oak Street, Salisbury, MD 21804 with designation “Haiti Earthquake.” To date, more than $9.6 million has been donated to The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti.
For continued updates, please visit http://www.blog.salvationarmyusa.org/.
Salisbury, Maryland: – The Salvation Army has been named by the United Nations (UN) as the “lead agency” responsible for the well-being of an estimated 20,000 earthquake survivors in Haiti according to Captain Cameron Henderson, Salisbury Corps Officer.
The Salvation Army will coordinate the relief efforts of several disaster response organizations for the community surrounding its main compound in the Saint Martin neighborhood in Port au Prince. This includes registering families so that appropriate aid supplies can be efficiently ordered and distributed, providing shelter that meets U.N. approved standards and establishing clean water sources, medical services and other basic necessities.
“It is critical that we establish a system with standards and accountability so that all of the dedicated NGOs (non-government agencies) can work together to quickly deliver the right supplies and services to the people who need them,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary, based in Arlington, Virginia.
To date, The Salvation Army has distributed more than 350,000 meals, 18,000 gallons of water, hundreds of tents, tarps and flashlights, as well as baby items and medical supplies. Over the last two weeks The Salvation Army worked with the U.N.’s World Food Program to distribute the meals. It has also shipped more than 40 tons of aid to the country with the help of Atlanta-based shipping company UPS (NYSE:UPS). The organization has established staging areas in both Miami and Jamaica and is sending almost daily flights to Port au Prince and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where supplies were then trucked over-land into Haiti.
Teams of international disaster responders from The Salvation Army have joined more than 700 personnel permanently stationed in Haiti to deliver food, water, medicine and other aid supplies to people still suffering more than two weeks after the tragedy. In addition, Salvation Army medical teams consisting of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other specialists have now given medical aid to more than 1,500 people. As teams continue to administer medical assistance, the doctors are seeing fewer life-threatening injuries. Medical teams have also delivered a number of babies in the weeks following the earthquake, raising the spirits of Haitians involved.
Also this week, The Salvation Army was able to partially re-open its elementary school at a temporary site on its compound in Port-au-Prince. In addition to daily classes, approximately 100 children aged three to six years will be provided basic nutrition and medical treatment in a secure environment at The Salvation Army’s compound.
In Haiti, The Salvation Army operates schools, clinics, a hospital, feeding programs, children's homes and church-related activities through some 60 Corps community centers across the country. One Salvation Army facility, or compound, includes a home for more than 50 children; a school with a daily attendance of 1,500 children; a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily; and a church that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000 people. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the National Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin that is home to predominantly poor living in the nation’s capital.
“The Salvation Army is committed to the people of Haiti for the long term,” said Major Hood. “We are not even at the end of the beginning of this response effort, though we are making great strides to getting help to the point of need.
“It is particularly difficult to see how this tragedy is affecting young children in Haiti. Re-opening a school helps create a normal routine and stability for kids who have gone through so much.”
The Salvation Army set up a Haiti relief fund and is accepting monetary donations. Donors may contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word “HAITI” to 52000, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.” Donors can also give via http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/, 1-800-SAL-ARMY and through the mail at: The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728 or The Salisbury Corps, 407 Oak Street, Salisbury, MD 21804 with designation “Haiti Earthquake.” To date, more than $9.6 million has been donated to The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti.
For continued updates, please visit http://www.blog.salvationarmyusa.org/.
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